Under the Mistletoe

"You broke up with your girlfriend? Right before Christmas!" She shook her head in disbelief. He hung his head and she continued. "You realize that is a total douche move, right?"

His head snapped up and he stared into her eyes. She felt her breath catch under his dark gaze.

"I couldn't string her along. It's not fair to her to be in a relationship when I'm in love with you."

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him, flabbergasted. He repeated himself.

"I love you, Kaitlyn."

"You don't love me."

"I do."

"No. No! Mike, we're friends. I'm dating one of your best friends!"

"You and Jeff are not dating and you know it. You're fucking each other. Because Jeff can't even handle the idea of being in a relationship and you don't want to admit out loud that you love me too."

"Mike...."

"Kaitlyn, I know you feel it too. That kiss. That kiss was magical."

"That kiss was a mistake."

"That kiss was perfect."

That kiss had been the week before and it was all Kaitlyn had thought about since. At the Kings team Christmas party, she watched Jeff work the room with his easy smile and laugh. Jeff was fun, easy to be around, and they had been sleeping together for nearly a year but she knew they would never be anything more than friends with benefits. She was standing in a doorway in the back of the room when Mike appeared at her side.

Mike smiled at her and then looked above her head slyly. She followed his gaze. Mistletoe. Her eyes had swung to his, wide, and he smiled again before leaning close to her. His breath smelled like peppermint. It was her last coherent thought as his lips pressed against hers.

She had met Mike shortly after his trade to LA. She worked in the real estate office that sold him his place. He had flirted with her when he saw her and she had rebuffed him every time. They had bumped into each other once at lunch and Mike had invited himself to sit with her when she had been looking forward to enjoying a moment of peace away from the office. Turned out Mike was enjoyable company and they had become friends quickly. When Jeff Carter had been traded to LA the season before, Mike had introduced her to him the night he flew into town.

Jeff had teased him, having a friend that was a girl and not sleeping with her. The thought had never crossed his mind though. She was Kaitlyn. Yes she was pretty; he wasn't blind and had certainly noticed her but she was more like one of the guys than any of the high maintenance girly girls he usually dated. They talked football and hockey. She drank beer and devoured a plate of wings better than anyone Mike knew. He just liked hanging out with her.

Jeff of course slept with her. It was what he did. Mike had been pissed when he found it. Jeff was notorious for banging a girl and never looking back and Mike was worried he'd lose the first real friend he had in LA. Jeff had surprised him though when he became friends with Kaitlyn also, but continued to sleep with her. They weren't boyfriend/girlfriend and Jeff was still Jeff, fucking anything that moved when they were on the road but at home, he only slept with Kaitlyn. It was easy, no strings sex between consenting adults. And when he needed a date for a team or charity function, he had Kaitlyn.

It was at the Christmas party that Mike found himself jealous for the first time over Kaitlyn being with Jeff. She had shown up on his arm in one of those bandage dresses, tight and snug in all the right places and he could not keep his eyes off of her, much to the dismay of his own date. When he spotted her alone in the back of the room, he stealthily made his way back to her. No one noticed them in the far off corner and when he saw the mistletoe, he thanked his lucky stars. Wordlessly, he kissed her and the bottom fell out when his lips met hers.

Mike blinked and stared at Kaitlyn when she pulled away from him. Without a word, she turned and walked as fast as she could to the ladies room. She sucked in a deep breath as she stood in front of the sink, staring at herself in the mirror. She didn't want to think about how much she had liked that kiss. She blew out a hissed breath and collected herself before walking back to the party. She went directly to Jeff's side. He threw an arm around her and half an hour later, guided her out of the party, to his SUV and drove to his place. She fucked Jeff with renewed enthusiasm. For the first time since she and Jeff had started up, she pictured Mike instead.

Mike took a step towards Kaitlyn and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her body to his. “Tell me that you liked that kiss,” he said. She shook her head no defiantly and Mike smirked. Cupping her chin in his hand, he tilted her face and he leaned closer to her, brushing his lips across hers. She sighed.

“I knew you liked that kiss as much as I did. Its all you can think about. Admit it.”

“I’ve thought about it,” Kaitlyn whispered. “All week.”

“I want you.” He pressed his lips to his with urgency, kissing her with a passion he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Kaitlyn, tell me you want me as much as I want you.”

She grabbed the end of his t-shirt and curled in in her fingers, pressing her chest into his. She pulled his bottom lip between her teeth and then kissed him hard, her tongue forcing past his lips. “I want you too, Mike but...”

He picked Kaitlyn up in his arms and twirled her around. “No buts. I want to try this, us. After we kissed, I couldn’t stop thinking about it, wanting to do it again, and it made me realize that I’ve liked you for awhile now. I’m an idiot for ignoring what I feel but not anymore. I love you. I think I’ve been in love with you for months.”

“I’ve been sleeping with Jeff, for nearly a year.”

“I don’t care. He’s slept with half the damn country and I know you don’t mean anything to him.”

“Well gee, thanks. Way to make a girl feel like a piece of trash.”

“Kaitlyn, you know that’s not what I meant. I just mean, you know Jeff sleeps around.”

“As do I.”

“What?”

“You thought I was only sleeping with Carter? I knew that was never going to be anything but the sex was good. But I’ve been dating also, trying to find a boyfriend. Did you know I’m the only single girl amongst my friends?”

“You’ve got me.”

“We’re friends, Mike. We’ve never been anything but. We go to bars and watch football games. I eat wings like a trucker in front of you and we drink beer. You have never looked at me as anything but your pal.”

“Until last week. Kaitlyn, I’m a guy and we’re idiots! I should’ve done something, said something but I didn’t. I knew I didn’t like it when you and Jeff started sleeping together but I just let it go and that makes me a moron.”

“You didn't like that I was sleeping with Jeff?”

“Hell no! I wanted it to be me.”

“Mike Richards, you are a colossal idiot, you know that?”

“I know. Will you please give me a shot?”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.” He dipped her back and kissed her again.

“Will you be my date on New Year's?” Mike asked her.

“Yes. But you have to tell Jeff why I can’t be his date anymore.” He frowned and Kaitlyn laughed. “Merry Christmas, Mike.”

“Merry Christmas.”